Bait holder for fishermen



Dec. 4,1923. 1 1,476,230

G. THOMPSON BAIT HOLDER FOR FISHERMEN Filed Oct. 14 1922 Iii?" llllllllilllllll Z6 32 @4 26 M whoa/1 Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

UNITED STATES GEORGE THOMPSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BAIT HOLDER FOR FISHERMEN.

Application filed October 14, 1922.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE THOMPSON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Bait Holders for Fishermen, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device to be carried by fishermen for holding bait, and its object is to provide a device of such character capable of holding water and keeping the same cool and in constant circulation, whereby the live bait, such as minnows, may be kept alive for an indefinite period of time and easily reached by. the fisherman when desired.

The details of the invention are hereinafter particularly described.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my imoroved device. 'artl in section and attached to a creel, the latter being indicated by broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the device placed in running water, as may be done when not in use.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View, taken on the broken lines 33, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken on the broken lines ld of Fig. 1, and enlarged, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view illustrating in enlarged size, the covering for the holder.

Similar reference characters denote like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing, indicates a container, which may be of sheet metal or other suitable material, preferably of semicylindrical shape, having a flat top and bottom.

The fiat top 11 is preferably attached at its straight edge to the upper edge of the straight or back wall 12 of the container by hinges 13, so that it may be swung upwards when desired to give free access to the in terior of the container, but this top plate may be permanently soldered or otherwise secured to the container all around its edge, as I provide an opening 14 in the center of said plate having a hinged cover 15 which opening is large enough to permit the insertion of a persons hand in order to reach the bait, or manipulate the plug or cork here after described.

Serial No. 594,425.

Any suitable fastening device, such as 16, may be employed to hold the hinged cover 15 in a closed position, and a similar fastening member 17 may be employed for holding the hinged top plate 11 closed.

A collar 18 is fitted into the opening 1 1 in the top plate, and is soldered or otherwise permantly secured to said plate. The upper part of the collar 18 extends a predetermined distance above the top of the plate 11, and the cover 15 is provided with a downwardly turned flange 19 which fits over and around this projecting portion of the collar 18. The cover 15 is provided with a plurality of holes or openings 20. 21 denotes the hinge connecting the cover 15 with the plate 11.

The collar 18 extends a predetermined distance below the under surface of the top plate 11 and within the upper part of the container 10 and at its lower edges is provided with a gutter 22 having a plurality of spaced holes 23 in its bottom.

The top plate 11 is also preferably provided with a plurality of holes 2 1 for the purpose hereafter described.

The fiat bottom 25 of the container 10 is provided at its center with a cluster of holes 26, and a boss 27 surrounds these holes on the upper surface of the bottom plate. there being a cork or plug 28 fitting into the opening in the boss, which plug may be removed when desired.

In the top edges of the vertical Walls of the container, I prefer to provide spaced notches 29 and at a predetermined distance below the top of these walls I prefer to provide a line of holes 30 all around the container for the purpose hereafter described.

Within the container 10, at each end thereof, I provide a deflector plate 31. These plates are somewhat concave and are inclined upwardly towards each other and so that their upper edges come above the top edge of the gutter 22. l

The entire body of the container 10, excepting that portion of the bottom wherein the holes 26 are contained, is provided with an outer covering 32 of felt or like absorbent material, which covering is surrounded by another covering 33 of canvas or like material.

I provide a strap 34 at each end of the container, having at its free end a suitable clasp or fastening device 35, by which the container may be supported from a belt worn by the fisherman, or preferably secured to the creel 36 commonly carried by a fisherman.

When the device is to be used, the plug 28 is tightly inserted into the opening in the boss 27 at the bottom of the container, and water is poured into the container through the opening 14L until it reaches the desired level. The minnows or other live bait are then placed in the water and the cover 15 closed and fastened. The device is then ready to be attached to the belt or creel upon the body of the fisherman. It is not usually necessary to raise the top plate 11 except for the purpose of cleaning the interior of the container. I

By the movements of the fishermans body, the water in the container will be kept in motion and will ride up the inner inclined surfaces of the deflectors 31 and be directed into the gutter 22 from which it will be returned to the container through the hol s 23 in the bottom of the gutter. The water will be caused to circulate in this manner at every movement of the fishermans body and cannot become stagnant.

The water will also occasionally be splashed against the top plate and side walls of the container when it will trickle through the holes 24, notches 29 and holes 30 and be absorbed by the felt or absorbent material 32 which will quickly become saturated, while the outer covering 33 will keep it cool, so that the minnows or bait will continuously be provided with cool circulating water and kept alive for an indefinite period.

, The openings 20 in the cover 15 provide ample ventilation while the device is being carried by the fisherman.

At times when the fisherman may be tak ing a rest or at luncheon it is preferable to remove the plug 28 and place the container in shallow water in the brook or stream as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing; the container being placed with its rear or flat Wall resting upon the bed of the brook in water of a depth approximately half the height of the container when so positioned, in which case the water will enter the openings in one side of the container and pass out the openings in the other side, whereby the bait will be continuously supplied with fresh water while the device is not being used or carried by the fisherman.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bait holder comp-rising a receptacle for water provided interiorly with a centrally suspended gutter and deflector plates on opposite sides thereof.

2. A bait holder comprising a receptacle for water provided with a perforated cover and having a gutter suspended below said cover and deflector plates on opposite sides of said gutter.

3. A bait holder comprising a receptacle for water provided with a perforated cover and having a cluster of holes in its bottom, a boss surrounding such cluster on the interior of the receptacle, a plug for said boss, a suspended gutter. within said receptacle, and deflector plates on opposite sides of said gutter.

4. A bait holder comprising a receptacle for water and having an opening" in its top, a perforated cover for said opening, a rollar secured in said opening and extending a predetermined distance into the receptacle, a gutter surrounding the lower edge of said collar and supported thereby, said gutter having spaced holes in its bottom, and deflector plates on opposite sides of said gutter.

5. A bait holder comprising a receptacle for water having an opening in its top and a cluster of holes in its bottom, a perforated cover for said opening in the top, a boss surrounding the holes in the bottom, a plug for the boss, a collar secured in said opening in the top and extending a predetermined distance into the receptacle, a gutter provided with holes in its bottom. surrounding the lower edge of said collar and supported thereby, and deflector plates on opposite sides of said gutter.

6. A bait holder comprising a container having a. plurality of holes in its top and a line of holes around its vertical walls at a predetermined distance from their top edges, said edges being notched, a gutter suspended within the container, deflector plates at opposite sides of the gutter, a covering of absorbent material around said container, and an outer covering of canvas or like material. 7. A bait holder comprising a container having a. plurality of holes in its top and vertical walls, said alls being notched on their upper edges, a perforated cover for the container, the bottom of the container having a cluster of holes therein, a boss surrounding said cluster on the interior of the container, a plug for said boss, a gutter within the container, means for suspending the same, deflector plates at opposite sides of. said gutter, a. covering of absorbent material around the container, and an outer covering of canvas or similar material.

Signed by me this 30th day of September, 1922.

enoaen THOMPSON. 

